UK Athletics today announced a 2007 awards programme, sponsored by Heidsieck & Co Monopole Champagne, that has been broadened to cover every part of the sport.

UKA Head of Athletics Development Andy Paul said: “The programme will continue to recognise and reward Clubs, Volunteers, Officials, Coaches and Partnerships for their contribution to athletics throughout the preceding 12-month period.

The key, though, is to reflect how the sport has changed shape and then to ensure that every component of the new structure is identified and involved in rewarding those that deserve recognition.”

So the UK Awards programme will work through a series of stages that will culminate with an UK Awards Night on 1 December 2007 in Birmingham.

Stage 1 will involve each Celtic nation and English region making a series of awards – 204 in total – from nominations made by the athletics community in the following categories:

• Club – with four awards for (a) Track and Field, (b) Off Track, (c) Junior and (d) Inclusivity;

• Volunteer – with three awards for (a) Young Volunteer; (b) Club Volunteer; (c) Services to Club Development;

• Official – with three awards for (a) Newcomer to Officiating; (b) Off Track Official; (c) Track and Field Official;

• Coaches – with four awards for (a) Participation; (b) Performance; (c) Podium; (d) Services to Coaching Development.

• Team / Partnership – with three awards for (a) Local Authority; (b) Athletics Partnership; (c) Services to Officiating.

Nominations can be made online visit the Awards 2007 section, the closing date for nominations is 31 August.

Every Nation and Region winner will receive a bottle of Heidsieck & Co Monopole Champagne as well as other recognition at Awards presentation evenings throughout the UK.

In Stage 2, each of the four Home Countries will nominate one candidate in each of the five categories – Club, Official, Volunteer, Coach and Partnership – for UK Awards. The deadline for this will be 30 September.

In addition, there will be a series of UK awards based around the Athlete Pathway and the work being done by all areas of the sport around Coaching and Teaching, Competition and the World Class programme.

These will provide rewards in categories such as long or meritorious service by, for example, officials and officers; outstanding performance at World Class by a coach and athlete; event specific contributions by athletes, coaches and clubs to the Development of Performance; competitions which are outstandingly successful at raising standards against Power of 10 targets; and, in the field of Education, individuals using best practice to implement the best possible start on the athlete pathway.

This would mean 14 Awards being presented at the UK Awards evening.

“The intent is to create time to truly reflect on what has brought each winner to our attention because we know from past experiences that each one will be inspirational,” added Andy Paul.

The format has the support of former triple jump world record holder Ashia Hansen MBE, who helped present the 2006 awards. She said: "I really enjoyed attending the Awards Dinner last year. It was great to see the previously unsung heroes receiving recognition for their invaluable contribution to the sport and having Heidsieck & Co Monopole’s support to turn it into a champagne occasion made it even more special."

UK Athletics Awards Dinner 2007

The UK Athletics Awards Dinner will be held at the National Motorcycle Museum on Saturday 1 December. For more information and a booking form go to Awards Dinner.